VMware begins new vSphere beta, but not for a big bang upgrade

Virtzilla's turning the continuous integration crank for vSphere on AWS

VMware has announced a new vSphere beta, but unlike its previous such efforts it's not asking you to test a new big bang release.

Virtzilla's announcement says “This beta program is different from our past programs in that it is not tied to a specific version or release only.”

“We are now moving to a beta program that, along with the new beta community, will continue through multiple releases of vSphere. Participants can expect to see new functionalities and capabilities added on an ongoing basis for their feedback.”

If that sounds like a lot to handle, chill: you'll have the option to test hosted vSphere running in “in a VMware hosted environment, leveraging pre-defined workflows.” On-prem installations will still be possible.

VMware's doing this because it's promised frequent updates to its vSphere-on-AWS service. As the FAQ for that service says, “ESXi running on VMware Cloud on AWS may have a more frequent update cadence so that customers can take advantage of regular service enhancements.”

Which is just what one expects from a cloud service these days!

If you'd like to play, applications for the beta program can be made here.

VMware's also launched VMware vCloud Availability 2.0, code that is aimed at service providers seeking to operate a disaster recovery as-a-service offering. ®